Kimi Antonelli will start the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix from pole position, having topped qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps. The Mercedes driver recorded a 1:44.361 lap time. Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing will line up alongside Antonelli on the front row, qualifying 0.317 seconds adrift.
George Russell, Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate, secured third place in qualifying. However, Lando Norris, who initially qualified third for McLaren, will start from 13th position due to a 10-place grid penalty. This promotes Russell to the front of the second row.
Norris’s penalty stems from exceeding the permitted allocation of power electronics units for the season. McLaren opted to fit a new, upgraded power electronics unit to his car to address recent reliability issues.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, both driving for Ferrari, qualified fifth and sixth respectively. With Norris’s penalty, they will move up to fourth and fifth on the revised grid. Hamilton had a crash in final practice, but his Ferrari team completed repairs in time for qualifying.
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is known for its strategic challenges, particularly the Kemmel Straight. This long uphill section after Eau Rouge and Raidillon offers significant slipstream opportunities, which can be advantageous for cars behind the pole-sitter on the opening lap.
New energy management regulations for the 2026 season further intensify the strategic considerations for the opening lap. These rules place a greater emphasis on electrical power, with drivers needing to carefully manage energy deployment.
Max Verstappen benefited from a tow from his Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar during qualifying. Hadjar, who will start from the back of the grid due to a 30-place penalty for new power unit components, sacrificed his lap to aid Verstappen.
Hadjar’s penalty, along with those for Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, significantly alters the back of the grid. Stroll received a 10-place penalty for taking a fourth MGU-K, exceeding the season’s limit. Alonso also starts from the back due to new power unit components.
The full revised starting grid for the Belgian Grand Prix is as follows: 1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 3. George Russell (Mercedes), 4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 7. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), 8. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), 9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), 10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine), 11. Franco Colapinto (Alpine), 12. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), 13. Lando Norris (McLaren), 14. Carlos Sainz (Williams), 15. Oliver Bearman (Haas F1), 16. Alex Albon (Williams), 17. Esteban Ocon (Haas F1), 18. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac), 19. Sergio Perez (Cadillac), 20. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), 21. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), 22. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).
Antonelli, the championship leader, aims to convert his sixth pole position of the season into a victory. He has not won a Grand Prix since Monaco in early June, though he did secure a sprint win at Silverstone.
Verstappen, despite his strong qualifying performance, has faced reliability issues and crashes earlier in the 2026 season, leading to speculation about his future with Red Bull. He is currently contracted until 2028.
Lewis Hamilton, now with Ferrari, has shown improved form in 2026, securing five podiums and a win in Barcelona. He attributes part of his resurgence to not using Ferrari’s simulator.
Aston Martin, with drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, has experienced a challenging start to the 2026 season. The team anticipates a significant car upgrade at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix.
